In this episode of NatWest and Holly Tucker’s Mastering Your Money Instagram Live series, Holly Tucker MBE, founder of Notonthehighstreet and Holly & Co, will welcome guests to explore how small businesses can help the UK reach net zero, how efforts such as the B Corp movement can help your business become a force for good, and what tangible support is on offer as you work towards building purpose into your brand.

Joining the session will be Andrew Griffith MP, who was appointed the UK’s Net Zero Business Champion in 2020. Griffith will be talking about the central role that the UK’s business community has to play in making a successful transition to a low-carbon economy, and how businesses can make credible plans to help reach net zero by 2050 or earlier.

To help you achieve this goal, visit the UK Business Climate Hub.

Tucker will also talk to Faye Clifton, sales and marketing manager at innovative small business Green&Blue. Based in Perranporth in Cornwall, the business designs and builds unique, stylish products that help wildlife – from bee houses, to bird feeders, to bat roosts and beyond. With so many species in decline they believe passionately that every new house built needs to provide a home for wildlife, as well as for people.

The business became a B Corp in November 2018, meaning it has been certified as having met rigorous social and environmental standards that represent its commitment to goals beyond profit. “For us, B Corp certification is one of our proudest business milestones and acts as a guiding star on our business journey,” says Clifton. “We have something to measure business decisions against, to ensure that as we grow we stay true to our values and continue to do the best we can for people and for planet.”

Clifton will be joined by James Wallis, senior marketing lead for business & commercial banking at NatWest. “We know that everyone has a role to play in building a better future,” says Wallis, “and our research shows that 88% of SMEs do want to develop their sustainability strategies, but around half don’t know where to start.

“Small businesses are uniquely placed to make a difference in the fight against climate change,” says Wallis, “and they can do this by ensuring that they are taking the right steps to cut their carbon emissions. This is why we have joined forces with the UK government to help SMEs make the commitment to net zero and why we’ve worked on a variety of tools to help them along on their journey.

“At NatWest we’re dedicated to supporting businesses to become more environmentally friendly. This is one of the reasons we recently launched our Climate Accelerator programme, through which we provide one-to-one coaching and targeted support for climate-focused and purpose-led businesses that are looking to scale. I’m really looking forward to joining Holly to discuss this and other tools available to help small businesses make a difference.”

“I passionately believe that the most successful businesses of the future will be those with purpose,” adds Tucker. “Holly & Co is on the B Corp journey and we hope to be certified this year, so I can't wait to hear the experiences of others who are on the same path and discuss how small businesses can be leading lights for doing good in the world.”

Join Holly Tucker and guests live at 12pm on 24 May – and keep an eye out for sessions running in the coming months.
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